Philippines: El Niño Snapshot (as of 29 February 2016)

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Administration (PAGASA) reported on 9 February that a strong El Niño still persists in the tropical Pacific Ocean and expected to gradually weaken through April-May 2016. No tropical cyclone entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility in January and February. Most parts of the country received way-below to below-normal rainfall in January and parts of February. Climate outlook for March showed that 62 per cent of the country including almost the whole of Mindanao will experience drought and dry spell. About 102,000 farmers with 194,000 hectares of agricultural lands have been affected by the drying effects of El Niño, one-third of which with no chance of recovery. The Government’s El Niño Task Force allocated US$375 million to implement mitigation and response strategies addressing food security, energy security, health and safety in the affected communities.